1. Field Of The Invention
This invention is related to drain pans for air conditioning systems and apparatuses, e.g. for heating or cooling air; in one aspect to such systems including a coil and in another aspect to a V-configured coil and drain pan for it.
2. Description Of Related Art
Coils for air conditioning systems are installed in housings, many of which are sized to meet common industry requirements. Also, in many housings the coil is oriented in a particular direction depending on the coil design and housing design. Coil orientation is also limited by available drain pan design. In certain housings, e.g. a V-configured coil is situated with the V pointing up; in other housings the V is on its side. Different drain pans are used for different housings. In various prior art air conditioning systems a blower propels air through a coil or sucks air through a coil. Through various openings in a housing or in a plenum box, air exits into conduits which carry it to various locations.
In certain situations in which a V-coil is already positioned in a housing with the V pointing up and a pan beneath coil, it is desired to turn the housing on its side to lay it down horizontally, either to the left or to the right. This requires installation of a side shield pan--which becomes the lower pan. In the prior art such pans have had their own drain nipple and one pan is usually only in one orientation--left or right so that a pan used, e.g. for a left orientation can not be used to turn the housing the other way; i.e., two pans are needed if it is not known or anticipated which way the housing is to be turned.
FIG. 1A shows a prior art drain pan. FIG. 1B shows a prior art pan system with two sub-pans. The lower sub-pan has its own drain nipple and cannot be switched to the other side (top side in the drawing) of the coil unless another drain nipple is added (which would need to be added to the far side as viewed in the drawing) before the pan is switched to the other side.
There has long been a need for a drain pan suitable for multiple coil orientations. There has long been a need for such an apparatus which is simple, easily made, easily installed, and easily accessed.